TOBE HOOPER'S attempt to direct sci-fi is a jaw-dropping farce with flaws we can ignore due to the sheer insane audacity of what is put on screen.

Blu-ray review: Lifeforce

SPACE vampires. The city of London. A fight to stop the world being brought to an end by turning humans into murderous zombies.

Lifeforce was director Tobe Hooper's attempt to make the jump from horror master to sci-fi director by way of adapting Colin Wilson's 1976 novel The Space Vampires. A relatively big budget for the time - it was made in 1985 and cost nearly $25m - it turned out to be quite an experience, in a variety of ways, for everyone involved. Even to this day main star Steve Railsback has reportedly never watched the film.

As flawed as it is, and it is far from perfect, there is a bravura and charm to Lifeforce that still manages to make it insanely entertaining. From the moment we see weird space bats in suspended animation when they're discovered by astronauts on a mission to Halley's Comet right up to the OTT finale.

Now, the genii at Arrow Films have waved their magic wand over the 28-year-old film and given it the Blu-ray treatment they are swiftly becoming renowned for. The care and attention to transferring Lifeforce to 1080p is there for all to see on the screen.

As ever, the extras are a delight including 'Cannon Fodder' which speaks to a host of those involved in bringing the film to life from cast members to the crew - hearing about Hooper's demands for 18-year-old starlet Mathilda May to be completely hairless for the nude scenes via make-up artist Sandra Exelby is eyebrow-raising while an interview with Hooper reveals his methods of adapting the book with the huge budget.

In addition we get both the theatrical and international cuts. The theatrical version is shorter by some 14 minutes while the international cut feels much more complete and has the entire Henry Mancini score in all its glory - sounding even better in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Surround Sound.

Little bonuses include a Blu-ray that comes with a reversible sleeve or the very attractive steelbook.

For those who enjoy work of Hooper, Lifeforce is a must-have purely for the schlock value of Cannon's attempt at a blockbuster. This is, simply put, the best space vampires turning humans into zombies film you'll ever see.